Precarious

Whilst we've been away it's obviously been very dry, our Beck is now as low as I've seen it in the last 12 months - even our swamped garden is drying out.
This little wren has made a nest in the embankment, somewhere I'm sure would always have been fine, but now, much like many homes in Cumbria, there'll always be a modicum of uncertainty.
I spent part of today filling in the second questionnaire in the application process for a flood resilience grant. None of the work detailed would ever have entered our thoughts in the 15+ years we've lived in the area, but now it seems reckless not to make some alterations. As ever when dealing with the beauracrats it's clear a large part of the process is jobs for the boys and departmental justification, there is clearly wastage and overspend to a huge scale - I'm nearly cynical enough to believe that they don't really want people to apply. The man at the district council was incredulous that I didn't want a private surveyor (from an 'approved' list) to visit; "He might spot something you've missed" he suggested - hmmmmm thought I "would he be the same surveyor who missed two of our neighbours doors off their report...."